Direct-view-type display apparatus

ABSTRACT

An organic electroluminescent (EL) display, wherein fabrication is simplified, manufacturing cost is reduced, periodicity with which pixels are arrayed is maintained, picture quality is prevented from deteriorating due to a boundary between transparent substrates, and high resolution is realized. A plurality of organic thin film EL display elements are formed on a single transparent substrate. Circuit substrates on which driver circuits for supplying signals to signal and scanning electrodes for each of the EL display elements are mounted are bonded to the EL display elements. The circuit substrate has an end-sealing property and through holes are bored opposite the signal and scanning electrodes. The through holes are covered by a conductive, end-sealing material. Signals are supplied from the driver circuit to the signal and scanning electrodes through the conductive material. A portion of the organic EL display element that is not bonded to the circuit substrate is covered by an end-sealing material.

This is a division of application Ser. No. 09/829,735 filed Apr. 10,2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,603,270.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a direct-view-type display apparatususing organic thin-film EL elements as display elements, for example,and particularly to a direct-view-type display apparatus suitable forrealizing a large display screen.

2. Description of the Related Art

EL (electroluminescent) elements are known as a kind of light-emittingdisplay elements. EL elements make use of an electro-luminescence as aprinciple which is a phenomenon in which a light is produced from aphosphor when applied with a voltage.

From a standpoint of a chemical composition of a light-emittingmaterial, EL elements are classified into an inorganic EL element inwhich rare earth element serving as a center of light emission is addedto a host material made of an inorganic compound and an organic ELelement using a fluorescent organic compound. From a standpoint of aphysical shape of a light-emitting material, EL elements are classifiedas a dispersion-type EL element using a powder-like light-emittingmaterial and a thin-film EL element using a dense thin-film-likelight-emitting material.

Since the organic thin-film EL element is able to display colors thatmatches with fluorescent colors of organic compounds so that colors canbe selected with ease as compared with the inorganic EL element, it canbe driven by a low drive voltage as compared with the inorganic ELelement and it can easily be manufactured by microminiaturization ascompared with the inorganic EL element, in recent years, it is receivinga remarkable attention as a display element for use in adirect-view-type display apparatus.

The direct-view-type display apparatus using this organic thin-film ELelement (hereinafter simply referred to as an “organic EL display”) hasan advantage that it can be well confirmed visually as compared withdisplay apparatus using a non-light-emitting display element such as aliquid crystal and has also an advantage that it can do with a lowdriving voltage as compared with display apparatus using a displayelement of another light-emitting type (e.g., plasma display andfield-emission display) so that it consumes less power and it can beexpected that ICs for driving this type of display element can bemanufacured inexpensively.

In recent years, needs for enlarging display screens of various kinds ofindoor and outdoor displays are increasing. In the organic EL display,when the size of the organic thin-film EL element itself is increased,lengths of signal electrodes and scanning electrodes comprising theorganic thin-film EL element are increased and resistance of theseelectrodes increase so that a drive voltage should be increased. Forthis reason, heretofore, it has been difficult to realize an organic ELdisplay of a large picture screen. This is also true in other flat paneldisplays such as a PDP (plasma display panel), an FED (field-emissiondisplay) and an LCD (liquid-crystal panel).

FIG. 13 shows an example of an arrangement of this display unit. Adisplay unit 51 is manufactured such that a protecting film (not shown)made of an inorganic compound such as GeO is formed on the surface of anorganic thin-film EL element 53 formed on a glass substrate 52 or alight-curing resin layer (not shown) is formed directly or through anSiO2 film on which a glass plate 54 having the same area as that of theglass substrate 52 is tightly contacted and the glass plate 54 and theglass substrate 52 are bonded together at end portions of their platesurfaces by an adhesive agent 55 having an end-sealing property. FIG. 14shows an example in which a plurality of display units 51 shown in FIG.13 are disposed in a matrix fashion.

The reason that the organic thin-film EL element is sealed by the glassplate 54 and the adhesive agent 55 as shown in FIG. 13 is as follows.That is, an organic compound used in an organic layer of the organicthin-film EL element is considerably weak to water and oxygen, andmetals comprising anodes and cathodes of the organic thin-film ELelement also are oxidized in the air and their characteristics aredeteriorated suddenly.

However, when the large picture screen of the organic EL display isrealized by disposing a plurality of display units in a matrix fashionas described above, there are various disadvantages which will follow.

(a) Since each of the display units should be positioned with highaccuracy in order to maintain a periodicity with which pixels arearrayed on the whole of the picture screen, a fabrication work becomescomplicated and a manufacturing cost increases.

(b) After fabrication, there is a risk that a positional relationshipbetween the display units is being shifted slightly with a change in theenvironment (temperature change, etc.) and the the passage of time, sothat the periodicity of the pixels array will be lost.

(c) Since a boundary between the transparent substrates (glass substrate52 in FIG. 13) of each display unit is visually spotted as a joint onthe picture screen, a picture quality is deteriorated.

(d) Since needs for increasing resolution as well as the size of thepicture screen also are increasing, pitches between pixels should beminimized in order to meet the above needs. However, according to thesealing method in which the glass substrates are bonded at their endportions as shown in FIG. 13, since the organic thin-film EL elementcannot be formed on the end portions (portions of widths L in the sheetof drawing) of the glass substrate surfaces (i.e., pixel cannot beprovided), if the pixel pitch is increased at least twice this width L,there cannot be maintained the periodicity with which the pixels arearrayed on the whole of the picture screen. Accordingly, it is difficultto increase resolution.

In view of the aforesaid aspects, the present invention is intended torealize the organic EL display with the large picture screen and to doaway with the above disadvantage (a) and to simplify the fabricationwork and to reduce the manufacturing cost, to do away with the abovedisadvantage (b) and to maintain the periodicity with which the pixelsare arrayed on the whole of the picture screen after fabrication, to doaway with the above disadvantage (c) and to prevent a picture qualityfrom being deteriorated due to the boundary between the transparentsubstrates, and to do away with the above disadvantage (d) and torealize the picture screen of the high resolution.

While the organic EL display has been described so far by way of anexample, it is unavoidable that direct-view-type display apparatus otherthan the organic EL display encounters at least the above disadvantages(a) to (d) when a display element is formed as a unit and a plurality ofdisplay units are disposed in a matrix fashion.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention is to provide a direct-view-typedisplay apparatus other than the organic EL display in which a largepicture screen can be realized, the fabrication work can be simplified,the manufacturing cost can be reduced, the periodicity with which thepixels are arrayed on the whole of the picture screen can be maintainedand the deterioration of the picture quality can be prevented.

To solve these problems, a direct-view-type display apparatus accordingto the present invention is characterized in that a plurality of displayelements are formed on a single transparent substrate and drivercircuits for supplying signals to signal electrodes and scanningelectrodes of these display elements are provided in response torespective display elements.

In this direct-view-type display apparatus, a plurality of displayelements are not formed as units like the prior art but are formed on asingle, common transparent substrate. Then, when signals are supplied tothe respective display elements from the corresponding driver circuits,an image is displayed on one picture screen of this transparentsubstrate.

Because a plurality of display elements are formed on the single, commontransparent substrate as described above, the periodicity with which thepixels are arrayed on the whole of the picture screen can be maintainedwithout positioning the display units with high accuracy unlike theprior art, the large picture screen can be realized, the fabricationwork can be simplified and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

Because the positional relationship between the display elements can beprevented from being shifted after fabrication unlike the case in whicha plurality of display units are disposed in a matrix fashion, theperiodicity with which the pixels are disposed on the whole of thepicture screen can be maintained after fabrication.

Since there does not exist the boundary between the transparentsubstrates of the respective display units unlike the prior art, thepicture quality can be prevented from being deteriorated due to theabove boundary.

In this direct-view-type display apparatus, by way of an example, it issuitable that the circuit substrate on which the driver circuits aremounted in response to the respective display elements are disposed onthe back side (opposite to the display surface).

Since the positioning of the circuit substrate relative to the displayelement is required to such an extent that the driver circuits mayelectrically be connected to the electrodes of the display elements, thehighly-accurate positioning of the display units is not required unlikethe prior art. Therefore, the fabrication work can be prevented frombecoming complicated and the manufacturing cost can be prevented frombeing increased.

When the display element is the organic EL element (i.e., organic ELdisplay), by way of an example, the height of the signal electrode andthe height of the scanning electrode of the organic EL element on thetransparent substrate are made substantially equal to each other. Thecircuit substrate is made of a material having end-sealing property andhas through-holes bored at its positions opposing to the signalelectrode and the scanning electrode. The through-holes are buried by amaterial having end-sealing property and conductivity. While thethrough-holes are being opposed to the signal electrode and the scanningelectrode, the circuit substrate is closely bonded to the organic ELelement. Signals are supplied from the driver circuit through thematerial having the end-sealing property and the conductivity. Theorganic EL element is covered at its portion which is not bonded to thecircuit substrate with an end-sealing material.

Since the organic EL element is sealed by the circuit substrate, thematerial having an end-sealing property and a conductivity and theend-sealing material while the space between the adjacent organic ELelement on the transparent substrate is being kept narrow, the pixelpitch can be reduced, and therefore the organic EL display with highresolution can be realized.

By way of an example, it is suitable that the transparent substrateshould be formed of a film-like substrate. According to thisarrangement, not only a flat picture screen can be formed but also acurved picture screen can be formed by curving this transparentsubstrate.

By way of another example, it is suitable that the side surface of thecircuit substrate should be covered with a member having an elasticity.According to this arrangement, even if the circuit boards are buttedagainst each other when the circuit boards are disposed or the curvedpicture screen is formed by curving the transparent substrate, thecircuit boards can be prevented from being chipped or scratched.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an example of an arrangement of an outwardappearance of an organic EL display to which the present invention isapplied;

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an example of an arrangement of a portionof an individual organic thin-film EL element of the organic EL displayshown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional side view showing an example of anarrangement of a portion of an individual organic thin-film EL elementof the organic EL display shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional side view showing more detailed structuresof the organic thin-film EL element and the circuit substrate shown inFIGS. 2 and 3;

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the positions of the metal films shown inFIG. 4 from the substrate surface side;

FIG. 6 are diagrams showing a method of forming the through-holes shownin FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 are diagrams showing a method of forming the metal films shown inFIG. 4;

FIG. 8 are diagrams showing a method of forming the metal films shown inFIG. 4;

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the state in which the position of thecircuit substrate is shifted from the organic thin-film EL element;

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a positional relationship among signalelectrodes, scanning electrodes and metal films of circuit substrates inthe state shown in FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example in which an arrangement of anorganic EL display according to the present invention is modified;

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrative of the state in which the film-liketransparent substrate shown in FIG. 11 is curved;

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional side view showing an example of anarrangement of a display unit in which the organic thin-film EL elementis as a unit; and

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing an example in which the display unit isdisposed in a matrix fashion.

These and other objects and features of the present invention willbecome clear from the following description of the preferred embodimentsgiven with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

An example in which the present invention is applied to an organic ELdisplay will be described below.

FIG. 1 shows an example of an arrangement of an outward appearance of apanel portion of an organic EL display to which the present invention isapplied from the panel display surface side. In this organic EL display,a plurality of organic thin-film elements 2 are formed in a matrixfashion on the rear surface (surface on the opposite side of the paneldisplay surface) of one glass transparent substrate 1. The transparentsubstrate 1 has a dimension corresponding to a screen size of indoor andoutdoor big-screen display.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show examples of arrangements of individual thin-film ELelements 2 of this organic EL display from the panel display surfaceside and the side surface side, respectively.

As shown in FIG. 2, each organic thin-film EL element 2 includes anodes(signal electrodes) 3 and cathodes (scanning electrodes) 4, each ofwhich is a predetermined number (e.g., four).

A space between the adjacent organic thin-film EL element 2 is madeequal to a space between these electrodes within the organic thin-filmEL element 2, whereby periodicity with which pixels are arrayed on thewhole of the screen is maintained.

The signal electrode 3 is formed of a transparent electrode made of ITO(indium-tin oxide), for example. The scanning electrode 4 is formed ofan electrode made of metal alloy such as aluminum and lithium.

As a method of forming the signal electrodes 3, there is used a methodin which after a signal electrode had been formed over substantially thewhole range of the longitudinal direction of the transparent substrate1, for example, this signal electrode is removed by etching at portionscorresponding to the boundaries of the respective organic thin-film ELelement 2 in the longitudinal direction of the transparent substrate 1.Consequently, the signal electrodes 3 of each organic thin-film ELelement 2 are formed at the same time.

As a method of forming the scanning electrodes 4, there is used a methodin which after portions corresponding to boundaries of the respectiveorganic thin-film EL elements 2 in the lateral direction of thetransparent substrate 1, for example, has been masked, a metal whichserves as a material of the scanning electrodes 4 is deposited oversubstantially the whole range of the lateral direction of thetransparent substrate 1 by vapor deposition. Consequently, the scanningelectrodes 4 of each organic thin-film EL element 2 also are formed atthe same time.

As shown in FIG. 3, a circuit substrates 5 are disposed on the rearsurface side (the opposite side of the panel display surface) inresponse to the respective organic thin-film EL elements 2. The circuitsubstrate 5 has mounted thereon a driver circuit 6 for supplying signals(display signal and scanning signal) to the signal electrode 3 and thescanning electrode 4 of the corresponding organic thin-film EL element2.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing more in detail the structure of the organicthin-film EL element 2 and the circuit substrate 5 from the side surfaceside. The signal electrode 3 of each organic thin-film EL element 2 hasa range (height h in the sheet of drawing) in which its height on thetransparent substrate 1 is substantially equal to the scanning electrode4 (height h in the sheet of drawing) at a portion which is notintersected by the scanning electrode 4. A thin-film like organic layer7 is formed at a portion (pixel portion) at which the signal electrode 3and the scanning electrode 4 cross with each other.

The organic layer 7 is comprised of an organic hole transport layer, anorganic light-emitting layer and an organic electron transport layer (asanother example, the organic layer is comprised of only the organic holetransport layer and an organic light-emitting layer having an electrontransport property), though not shown.

The signal electrode 3 and the scanning electrode 4 are separated by aninsulating layer 8 formed on the signal electrode 3 by vapor deposition.

The circuit substrate 5 is the substrate made of the same glass as thatof the transparent substrate 1. The circuit substrate 5 has athrough-hole al within the area opposing to the range (height h) inwhich the height of each signal electrode 3 of the organic thin-film ELelement 2 is substantially equal to the scanning electrode 4 and hasalso a through-hole a2 within the area opposing to the range exceptingthe portion (pixel portion) in which each scanning electrode 4 of theorganic thin-film EL element 2 and the signal electrode 3 cross eachother.

The respective through-holes a1, a2 are buried with conductive pastes(e.g., silver pastes) 9 using epoxy resin as a binder, respectively. Thesilver pastes 9 of the respective through-holes al are covered atrespective substrate surfaces of the circuit substrate 5 with metalfilms 10 a and 10 b consisting of four layers of chromium, copper,nickel and gold.

The silver pastes 9 of the respective through-holes 2 a are covered atrespective substrate surfaces of the circuit board 5 with metal films 11a and 11 b having the same structures as those of the metal films 10 aand 10 b. On the substrate surface of the side (lower side on the sheetof drawing) in which the driver circuit 6 are mounted as shown in FIG.3, there is formed wiring (not shown) by which the metal films 10 b, 11b are connected to the driver circuits 6.

FIG. 5 shows the positions of the metal films 10 a, 11 a on the circuitsubstrate 5 from the substrate surface side.

As a method of forming the through-holes a1, a2 and the metal films 10a, 10 b, 11 a and 11 b, there is used a method which will be executed inthe following order (1) to (5), for example.

(1) The through-holes a1, a2 are bored on a glass substrate 21 used asthe circuit substrate 5 by a diamond drill 22 as shown in FIG. 6A.Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 6B, other portions than the portionscorresponding to the through-holes a1, a2 are masked by masking films 23and then the through-holes a1, a2 are formed by sandblast (method ofblasting sand or grinding material 24 at a high speed).

(2) As shown in FIG. 7A, after the through-holes a1, a2 have been buriedwith the silver pastes 9, the silver paste 9 is removed at its portionprotruded from the substrate surface of the glass substrate 21 bymechanical polishing.

(3) As shown in FIG. 7B, after chromium 25 having excellent glassadhesion has been deposited on both substrate surfaces of the glasssubstrate 21 by vapor deposition, respectively, copper 26 havingexcellent conductivity is deposited on the both surfaces of thechromium, respectively, by vapor deposition.

(4) As shown in FIG. 7C, after resist 27 has been formed on the portionsother than the through-holes a1, a2 and the nearby portions, nickel 28and gold 29 having anti-oxidation effect are deposited on the copper 26of the through-holes a1, a2 and the nearby portions, in that order. Thegold 28 is also used to facilitate soldering required to form wiring forconnecting the metal films and the drive circuits 6 shown in FIG. 3.

(5) After the resist 27 has been removed as shown in FIG. 8A, thechromium 25 and the copper 26 deposited on other portions than thethrough-holes a1, a2 and the nearby portions are removed by etching asshown in FIG. 8B. Consequently, there are formed the metal films 10 aand 10 b, 11 a and 11 b comprised of the four layers of the chromium 25,the copper 26, the nickel 28 and the gold 29.

As shown in FIG. 4, the side surface of the circuit substrate 5 iscovered with a protecting film 12 made of silicon rubber. The circuitsubstrate 5 is closely joined to the organic thin-film EL element 2 inthe way that the respective metal films 10 a, 11 a are respectivelycontacted with the signal electrode 3 and the scanning electrode 4.

As a method of joining the circuit substrate 5 and the organic thin-filmEL element 2, while polyester, vinyl chloride, vinyl acetate, polyamideor polyurethane thermoplastic resin 15 is being softened by heating,after this thermoplastic resin has been coated on the circuit substrate5 at its portions other than the metal films 10 a and 11 a and thecircuit substrate 5 and the organic thin-film EL element 2 have been putinto pressurized contact with each other, this thermoplastic resin 15 iscooled and cured.

As shown in FIG. 3, each organic thin-film EL element 2 is covered atits portion, which is not joined to the circuit substrate 5, with anend-sealing material 13 made of epoxy resin which is resin havingend-sealing property. As a method of covering the above portion with theend-sealing material 13, there is used a method in which after anadhesive agent made of epoxy resin, for example, has been coated, suchadhesive agent is cured.

The driver circuit 6 on each circuit substrate 5 supplies a signal tothe signal electrode 3 of the corresponding organic thin-film EL element2 through the wiring formed on the substrate surface of the circuitsubstrate 5 and the metal film 10 b, the silver paste 9 and the metalfilm 10 a shown in FIG. 4, and also supplies a signal to the scanningelectrode 4 of the corresponding organic thin-film EL element 2 throughthe interconnection formed on the substrate surface of the circuitsubstrate 5 and the metal film 11 b, the silver paste 9 and the metalfilm 11 a shown in FIG. 4, whereby an image is displayed on thetransparent substrate 1 which is served as one screen.

An example of an arrangement of the organic EL display to which thepresent invention is applied has been described so far. In this organicEL display, since a plurality of organic thin-film EL elements 2 areformed on the single, common transparent substrate 1, without requiringthe highly-accurate positioning between the display units unlike theprior art, there can be maintained the periodicity with which the pixelsare arrayed on the whole of the screen. Accordingly, the big screen canbe realized, the fabrication work can be simplified and themanufacturing cost can be reduced.

Unlike the case in which the display units are disposed in a matrixfashion, the organic thin-film EL elements 2 can be prevented from beingshifted from each other in the positional relationship after themanufacturing, and hence the periodicity with which the pixels arearrayed on the whole of the screen can be maintained after themanufacturing.

Unlike the case in which the display units are disposed in a matrixfashion, since the boundary between the transparent substrates of thedisplay units does not exist, it is possible to prevent the picturequality from being deteriorated due to this boundary.

While the space between the adjacent organic thin-film EL elements 2 onthe transparent substrate 1 is being kept narrow (while this space isbeing kept equal to the space between the signal electrode 3 and thescanning electrode 4 within the organic thin-film EL element 2), theorganic thin-film EL element 2 is sealed by the circuit substrate 5 madeof glass, the metal films 10 a, 10 b, 11 a, 11 b and the end-sealingmaterial 13. Accordingly, since the pixel pitch can be reduced, theorganic EL display with high resolution can be realized.

The circuit substrate 5 has only to be positioned with respect to theorganic thin-film EL element 2 in a way that the through-holes a1, a2are brought in contact with the signal electrode 3 and the scanningelectrode 4, respectively (i.e., in a way that the driver circuit 6 iselectrically connected to the signal electrode 3 and the scanningelectrode 4).

FIG. 9 shows the state in which the positions of the five circuitsubstrates 5 of the circuit substrates 5 corresponding to the adjacentsix organic thin-film EL elements 2 on the transparent substrate 1 areroughly shifted from the reference position (the position at which thecircuit substrate is accurately disposed with respect to the organicthin-film EL element 2) to some extent such as in the counter-clockwisedirection, in the upper direction, in the right and lower direction, inthe clockwise direction and in the lower direction when they are seenfrom the panel display surface side. With respect to the respectivecircuit substrates 5 which are shifted in terms of position, part of thecontour of the circuit substrate whose position is not shifted is shownby dashed lines.

FIG. 10 shows a positional relationship among the signal electrode 3,the scanning electrode 4 and the metal films 10 a, 11 a obtained whenthe circuit substrates 5 are bonded to the organic thin-film EL elements2 in the state shown in FIG. 9. In the respective organic thin-film ELelements 2 to which the circuit substrates 5, which are positionallyshifted, are bonded, as for part of the signal electrode 3 and thescanning electrode 4 (the signal electrode 3 and the scanning electrode4 which are most largely shifted from the metal films 10 a, 11 a in theorganic thin-film EL element 2 to which the circuit substrates 5 shiftedin the counter-clockwise direction and in the clockwise direction arebonded), ranges (the range of the height h in FIG. 4) in which the metalfilms 10 a, 11 a are contacted are shown hatched.

As shown in FIG. 10, in the state in which the positions of the circuitsubstrates are roughly shifted from the elements to some extent as shownin FIG. 9, the metal films 10 a, 11 a of the respective circuitsubstrates 5 are brought in contact with the signal electrodes 3 and thescanning electrodes 4 of the corresponding organic thin-film EL elements2, respectively.

As described above, since the positioning of the circuit substrates 5need not be executed with high accuracy as in the conventionaldisplaying units this positioning does not cause the fabrication work tobecome complicated and the manufacturing cost to be increased.

Since the side surface of the circuit substrate 5 is covered with theprotecting film 12 made of silicon rubber, even if the circuitsubstrates 5 butt into each other when the circuit substrates 5 aredisposed on the elements, the circuit substrates 5 can be prevented frombeing cracked and scratched.

While the transparent substrate 1 made of glass is used in the aboveexample, the present invention is not limited thereto and there may beused a transparent substrate made of a resin (acrylic-resin such as PMMA(polymethyl methacrylate)).

As such resin transparent substrate, there may be used a thin film-liketransparent substrate 14 as shown in FIG. 11, whereby not only a flatscreen can be formed but also a curved-surface-like screen can be formedby curving this film-like transparent substrate 14 slightly in thelateral direction as shown in FIG. 12 (while a convex surface-likescreen is formed as shown in the sheet of drawing, it is needless to saythat a concave surface-like screen can be formed). Further, since theside surface of the circuit substrate 5 is covered with the protectingfilm 12, even if the circuit substrates 5 butt into each other when thefilm-like transparent substrate 14 is curved, the circuit substrates 5can be prevented from being cracked and scratched.

While each organic thin-film EL element 2 includes four signalelectrodes 3 and four scanning electrodes 4 in the above example, thenumber of the signal electrodes 3 and the scanning electrodes 4 of eachorganic thin-film EL element 2 may be no more than than three or no lessthan five.

In the above example, the range in which the height on the transparentsubstrate 1 is substantially equal to the scanning electrode 4 isprovided at the portion in which the signal electrode 3 of the organicthin-film EL element 2 does not cross the scanning electrode 4. However,as a modified example, instead of providing the range in which theheight on the transparent substrate 1 is high in the signal electrode 3,a gold bump may be formed on the silver paste within the through-hole ofthe circuit substrate 5 and this gold bump and the signal electrode 3may be contacted with each other.

While the big-screen organic EL display is comprised of the singletransparent substrate 1 in the above example, the present invention isnot limited thereto and a bigger-screen organic EL display may be formedby disposing a plurality of transparent substrates 1 in a matrixfashion. In that case, since the number of the transparent substrates 1thus disposed is considerably less than the number of display unitsrequired when one organic thin-film EL element is formed as units likethe prior art, the fabrication work can be prevented from becomingcomplicated and the manufacturing cost can be prevented from beingincreased.

While the present invention is applied to the panel driven by a simpleXY-matrix type in which the organic layer 7 is provided between thesignal electrode 3 and the scanning electrode 4 as described above, thepresent invention is not limited thereto and can be applied to an activematrix type panel in which a TFT (thin film transistor) is formed oneach organic EL element 2 and each organic EL element 2 is activelydriven based on signals from the signal electrode 3 and the scanningelectrode 4.

While the invention has been described with reference to the specificembodiment chosen for purpose of illustration, it should be apparentthat numerous modifications could be made thereto by those skilled inthe art without departing from the basic concept and scope of theinvention.

As described above, according to the direct-view-type display apparatusof the present invention, the big-screen can be realized, thefabrication work can be simplified, the

What is claimed is:
 1. A direct view type display apparatus comprising:a plurality of individual display elements placed on a singletransparent substrate, each of said plurality of individual displayelements having a plurality of signal electrodes and a plurality ofscanning electrodes in a matrix form with a light-emitting element ateach intersection of the matrix, wherein a space between adjacent onesof said plurality of individual display elements is equal to a spacebetween a signal electrode and a scanning electrode, such that each ofsaid plurality of individual display elements forms a separate pattern;and a plurality of drive circuits equal in number to said plurality ofindividual display elements and provided in correspondence to saidplurality of display elements, each of said plurality of drive circuitsbeing mounted respectively on a plurality of circuit substrates equal innumber to said plurality of individual display elements, said pluralityof drive circuits supplying signals to said plurality of signalelectrodes and scanning electrodes of said plurality display elements.2. The direct view type display apparatus according to claim 1, whereinsaid transparent substrate is a film like substrate.
 3. The direct viewtype display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of saidplurality of circuit substrates is covered with an elastic material. 4.The direct view type display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:each of said plurality of individual display elements is an organic ELelement; a height of the signal electrode and a height of the scanningelectrode of said organic EL element on said transparent substrate aresubstantially equal; said circuit substrate is made of a material havinga sealing property and has through holes bored at positions opposingsaid signal electrode and said scanning electrode; said through holesare covered by a conductive material having a sealing property; saidcircuit substrate is closely joined to said organic EL element such thatsaid through holes are opposed to said signal electrode and saidscanning electrode; each of said plurality of drive circuits supplies asignal to said signal electrode and said scanning electrode through saidconductive material having a sealing property and said organic ELelement is covered at a portion that is not joined to said circuitsubstrate with a sealing material.
 5. The direct view type displayapparatus according to claim 4, wherein a side surface of each of saidplurality of circuit substrates is covered with an elastic material. 6.The direct view type display apparatus according to claim 4, whereineach of said plurality of circuit substrates is a film like substrate.7. The direct view type display apparatus according to claim 6, whereina side surface of each of said plurality of circuit substrates iscovered with an elastic material.
 8. A direct-view-type displayapparatus comprising: a plurality of individual display elements placedon a single transparent substrate, each of said plurality of displayelements having a plurality of signal electrodes and a plurality ofscanning electrodes in a matrix form with a light-emitting element ateach intersection of the matrix, wherein a space between adjacent onesof said plurality of display elements is equal to a space between asignal electrode and a scanning electrode, such that each of saidplurality of display elements forms a separate pattern; and a pluralityof drive circuits provided in correspondence to said plurality ofdisplay elements being mounted respectively on a plurality of circuitsubstrates for supplying signals to said plurality of signal electrodesand said plurality of scanning electrodes of said plurality of displayelements, wherein each of the plurality of circuit substrates hasthrough-holes bored at positions opposing at least some of saidplurality of signal electrodes and said plurality of scanningelectrodes, and wherein the through-holes are covered by an electricallyconductive material.
 9. The direct view type display apparatus accordingto claim 8, wherein said transparent substrate is a film like substrate.